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32 RESTO OF THE WEEK maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 2014 THE prett y little village of Mar- saxlokk is a great outing on a Sunday morning, even if it is a little hot for market shopping right now – a visit to the bustling market followed by a fishy feast washed down with some crisp white wine. I seem to remember a time when a trip down to Marsaxlokk for a fish feast was always a sure ticket to the freshest selections of what Maltese waters have to of- fer. Today, however, you are most likely to get there to find the fish is fresh but everything else a little less, with many of the restaurants taking advantage of the tourists checking out the market without much attention going into the food they serve. Tartarun is most definitely not one such restaurant. As soon as you walk through the door you can tell this is going to be differ- ent – blue linen tablecloths, large tables with people sitting around every single one, as they clink large glasses filled with wine and laugh and chatter while they wait for their food to arrive. Though there is a menu with a few dishes that are almost always on offer, the most enticing part are the specials, fresh from the fisherman's catch. Any good restaurant is run by a dedicated team who are passion- ate about what they do. Passion oozes from the staff at Tartarun. Before you decide on what to eat, take a walk to the display table where a sample of what's on sale is available for you to see. Wheth- er it is wild sea bream, the small, bony red mullet or great big bar- racuda, there is someone to tell you what each and every fish is and how it should be cooked – in cartoccio, in sale. Your waiter will also tell you about some tantalising dishes that are not on the menu. We went for calamaretti, deep fried in a delicate batter, on a bed of but- tery leeks and topped with some fresh radish, and a warm octopus salad that was tender and full of f lavour, with fresh tomatoes and warm kalamata olives. If you're really hungry then go for one of the pasta dishes. My favourite has definitely got to be the tagliatelle 'Astice' – pasta with a rich creamy lobster sauce with bits of fresh lobster and a great big lobster claw that needs digging into. It's not only the fish that is cooked spectacularly well, but all the sides as well. Right from the bread they bring you while you wait – fresh and with a side of f lavoured butter – my guess would be with sun-dried toma- toes. The potatoes are also devil- ishly moreish. Just as the Tartarun team are knowledgeable about their fish, so are they about their wines. The wine list is extensive with wines from all over the world. Their house wines – wines they import themselves from Sicily – are delicate and are paired fabu- lously with the fishy f lavours of the dishes they serve. Tartarun is open for lunch from Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 till 15:30 and for dinner from Tues- day to Saturday from 19:30 till 22:30. WINE OF THE WEEK Tartarun Xatt is-Sajjieda, Marsaxlokk. MXK1301 Tel: 21658089; 99177258 Email: info@tartarun.com Rachel Zammit Cutajar takes a look at a restaurant and brings a recipe, wine and delicacy of the week. Write to us with your comments on restaurants or submit your own recipes to rzammitcutajar@mediatoday.com.mt FOOD Marsaxlokk madness at Tartarun Charles Grech & Co. Ltd., Valley Road, B'Kara Tel: 2144 4400 Chablis 2013 – Louis Moreau, Burgundy, France Domaine Louis Moreau was born from the passion of a family settled in Chablis in 1814. As soon as the late 19th century, the love of this family for great wines brought her to purchase plots in Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. Nowadays, proprietor of parcels in 5 of the Grands Crus, including a monopole, the domaine works many plots within the appellations of Petit Chablis, Chablis and Premiers Crus, in full respect of the environment. This Chablis shows a nice brilliant golden color, while its nose is floral with a hint of white fruit (apple, pear). According to the vintage, its gustatory attack can express mineral and citrus notes, balanced by its roundness and fineness. This wine can be consumed within the year following its bottling. Also, depending on the vintage, it can be kept from 3 to 6 years in order to fully enjoy its freshness. Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, B'Kara T: 2144-4400 Right on the Marsaxlokk promenade, Tartarun makes a great stop for a Sunday lunch out Tagliatelle 'Astice' at Tartarun Deep fried calamaretti at Tartarun